The Position

The Governing Board of Rincon Valley Union School District is seeking as its next superintendent an experienced, visionary educational leader with superior interpersonal and communication skills who will demonstrate an open, collaborative, inclusive management style. The successful candidate will be someone experienced in elementary school education and operations who will lead the high performing district to the next level of achievement. The new superintendent will be highly visible in the schools as well as visible and involved in the community, and will have the ability to foster strong, cooperative relationships with all stakeholders. The person selected for this position will be someone of the highest integrity who will build on the unique culture of trust, respect and success that exists among the governing board, the staff and their representative associations, the students and the community.

The Community

Rincon Valley is a premier district in a picturesque part of northern California. The district is on the east side of the city of Santa Rosa and includes both small city and rural areas. The surrounding countryside includes vineyard-lined hillsides, the Russian River watershed, and is in close proximity to the Pacific Ocean.

This warm and friendly area – a blend of art and culture, food, wine, and recreation – is the perfect location for families. Located 55 miles north of San Francisco and 30 miles east of the Pacific Ocean, the area is close to many wineries, golf courses, and spas. Additional outdoor activities include fishing and water sports on the Russian River and Lake Sonoma, and access to redwood forests. The area also has wonderful state and local parks with miles of jogging and biking trails.

Rincon Valley is about 20 minutes away from Sonoma State University, and close to Santa Rosa Junior College, one of the top ten community colleges in the country.

The District

Rincon Valley Union School District has an excellent program supporting all our students. The district of 3,182 students operates eight elementary schools and a 7-8-charter school. The eight sites, five of which are charters, are relatively small, with an average enrollment of 375 students. There are 172 teachers and 400 district employees. The district has a strong standards-based curriculum and accountability system. The students have excellent test scores and all of the sites have API scores in excess of 800.

The district has a strong support team, offers full-day kindergarten, has four full-time music teachers, art and dance docents, para physical education instructors, and science facilitators. The after-school program includes tutoring, sports, day care, enrichment classes, and summer camp. A strong staff development program contributes to the excellent quality of teachers and administrators in the district.

The district prides itself in its ability to be creative. The Rincon Valley Charter School is an example. In its seventh year of operation, it is at capacity, serving 175 seventh and eighth grade students. The educational program includes Apple’s one-to-one laptop technology with a strong project-based middle school curriculum.

Rincon Valley Union School District is the lead educational agency for the Redwood Consortium for Student Services serving moderate to severely handicap students for eight school districts. It has an operating budget of approximately $4 million, with a total of 77 employees.

The district has a general fund budget of $26 million, a strong reserve, and increasing student enrollment. The student population is 61% Caucasian, 23% Hispanic, 6% Asian, 4% African American, 2% American Indian and 4% Multiple.

In addition, the district receives excellent support from its parents and community as is evidenced by the successful passage of multiple parcel taxes, with a solid “yes” vote, for music, technology, and library services. The community also passed a $29 million construction bond measure. The district has modernized classrooms and administrative wings, newly constructed kindergarten complexes, a library/computer lab complex, and science labs on each campus. The district is further supported by the Rincon Valley Education Foundation.

Selection Criteria

The following criteria represent standards that will be used in the evaluation of applications and in the selection of the superintendent.

Not satisfied with the status quo; will lead the district to the next level

Able to build strong coalitions and partnerships with all segments of the communities, including business, local governmental agencies, and institutions of higher education

Is politically astute

Has a successful record of building and maintaining positive working relationships with employee associations/unions

Application Procedures

All applications will be held strictly confidential. Each applicant is requested to follow the procedures listed below. Those applicants wishing additional information should contact the board adviser:

Dr. Elaine Collins at 707-486-1576

Applications must be submitted on-line to:

DLAssoc.com Rincon Valley Union School District
c/o Dr. Elaine Collins, Adviser
All applicants must provide the following items by the closing date, Monday, May 16, 2011 (5:00 p.m.) to be considered:

A completed Application Information Form. (Please complete as instructed: do not complete by stating “see attached resume”.) The Application Information Form and brochure may be completed via Dave Long & Associates’ web page at DLAssoc.com.

A personal letter of application stating reasons for interest in the Rincon Valley Union School District superintendent position

A placement file and/or five (5) current letters of professional references describing the applicant’s performance in previously held positions

It is the applicant’s responsibility to submit placement papers or reference letters on-line to meet the Monday, May 16, 2011 (5:00 p.m.) deadline.

Selection Procedure

A professional screening committee of respected educational leaders will evaluate the qualifications of each applicant. The Board and the screening committee will use the described criteria during the screening, interviewing and final decision-making process. After receiving the report of the committee, the Board will select and interview the top candidates.

The Board will then select and invite candidates for the final interviews, conduct the interviews and select the superintendent. Any applicant who contacts a board member with the intent of influencing the Board’s decision will be disqualified. Travel expenses for those candidates selected for the interviews will be the responsibility of the candidate.

Salary and Contract Terms

The Rincon Valley Union School District Board of Education will offer a multi-year contract of employment with a salary of approximately $155,000 that is competitive and negotiable based on the qualifications and experience of the successful candidate, plus fringe benefits.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to provide the district with employment eligibility and verification of citizenship in compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act. The finalist will also be required to provide the district with certified transcripts that verify attainment of academic degrees and proof of appropriate credentials.